The Sweet Service Award goes to Dals Express ‘Auto Body Repair Centre‘ in Montague Gardens, and its manager Conrad Wiegersma, for the professional and caring service my car and I received when I handed it in for a two-day repair of a small scratch. Despite being promised the repair within two days telephonically, Conrad wanted to play it safe and have the car for an extra day, but I needed it back. Conrad and his team managed to have the repair done within 24 hours of it being dropped off, and gave the car a deep-clean valet, so that it looked as good as new (after 8 years) when I went to collect it!
The Sour Service Award goes to Europcar in the Prestwich Street city centre branch, the second Sour Service Award it has received in 4 months. The car rental company was chosen by my insurance company to provide wheels while my car was in for the repair. One cannot believe that this company can get so much wrong for a rental. I had tried to call them on the Saturday prior to the Monday drop-off, but they did not answer in the afternoon nor did they have an answering service. I reached someone on the Sunday late morning, and spoke to a staff member as well as her boss about dropping the car off at Dals, and not in Camps Bay as I had originally arranged. Both gave me a categorical NO to this request, so I called my broker, who was able to arrange it on the Monday morning. My heart sank when I recognised John at Dals, who was to do the paperwork, despite Europcar having received all my details from the insurance company, and having used them 4 months ago. John is completely unsuitable to handle customer interaction, not being able to speak English properly, has a visible nervous disorder, and is unable to read the numbers on the driver’s licence. He refused to accept my (expressive) signature as valid, and had to call his office numerous times, to receive the go-ahead to give me the keys to the car. The merry-go-round took an hour! A lady Eileen appeared from no-where, and she was far more competent than John, and was able to give me the keys after we documented all the scratches on the car. The car had not been washed before delivery. I was given a small manual Japanese car, and couldn’t start it, could not reverse it initially, and could not get the key out of the ignition, not having been shown anything about it at all. I was misled by John about how the reverse gear operated. I received a VW automatic when I got to Camps Bay, being similar to my car to operate. The rented car had to be collected when I collected my car from Dals, but they were more than half an hour late, so I left their keys in the efficient care of Conrad of Dals.
The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog. Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at whalecot@iafrica.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog. FOR THE DURATION OF MASTERCHEF SA SEASON 3 WE ARE MOVING THE SWEET & SOUR SERVICE AWARDS TO SATURDAYS.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Tel (021) 433-2100, Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here